“Love Crime” has Ludivine Sagnier and Kristin Scott Thomas in a dangerous tryst

French actresses Ludivine Sagnier and Kristin Scott Thomas star together in a new film called Love Crime, and I can’t wait to see it. Luckily I won’t wait too long, as it hits theaters Sept. 2. Ludivine plays Kristin’s subordinate, and they become romantically (or at least sexually) involved while working together closely. Check out this newly released trailer.

It seems like Damages but with a lesbian relationship at its center. Although your lover setting you up for murder isn’t too romantic, it’s certainly a story I haven’t seen before. Plus, I’ve loved Ludivine ever since she wowed me in Swimming Pool and Kristin always gives a great performance. This is her second time going Sapphic for a film, though it looks to be much more salacious than her lesbian role in Tell No One.

In a recent interview, Ludivine shared her thoughts on why Love Crime is so poignant, despite their having been similar stories of boss/assistant relationships in movies before.

I think it’s because these characters are women that makes this movie so contemporary. If men had that kind of rivalry, it would lead directly to a fistfight. Because women don’t have that physical strength, they have that conflict in a different way. Their revenge is much colder. It’s not like “I’m going to mess your face up in a parking lot.” It’s more subtle and vicious somehow.

Somehow I don’t think this one has a happy ending. Nonetheless, I am a sucker for these kinds of films. And while some might say it appears to be an exploitive look at a lesbian relationship, I’d argue that it isn’t exploitive because it’s lesbian — it would be the same with any gender switched in one of the roles. The fact they are women, as Ludivine said above, is a refreshing twist on the boss/assistant power struggle. I’ll be there opening night.